Eagle Eye Fire

Update June 29, 2024

Eagle Eye fire update: Officials report 100% containment as of this morning, June 29.
Please be aware that final operations will be continuing through this weekend with resources still active in the area.

Next week work will begin on rehabilitating dozer lines by pulling in berms and seeding with native grasses to reduce risk of future erosion.

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(CRAWFORD, Neb.) — On June 25, a wildfire Southwest of Hudson Meng, North of Eagles Eye in the Oglala National Grasslands, started early Tuesday morning due to a lightning strike.

US Forest Service, Crawford, Chadron, and Harrison Volunteer Fire Departments responded to the initial scene.

This fire was in difficult terrain with safety concerns of snags and heavy dead & down timber. Fire fighters made a plan to use natural barriers and mechanical line to contain this fire. Suppression proved difficult at first because to the large amount of heavy fuels that remained after the 2012 Douthit Fire.

📸 courtesy of Nebraska National Forests & Grasslands.

On Wednesday, A type 1 helicopter was ordered to assist in firefighting operations, dipping out of Lake Whitney, Northeast of Crawford and Southwest of Chadron, NE.

The public has been advised to avoid the area, including refraining from all recreational activity on the lake.

Although the local volunteer departments have been sent home, the fight to put out the fire is still ongoing. Here is the most recent update for Thursday, June 27th:

The Pine Ridge Ranger District reports the Eagle Eye fire at 60% containment. Crews worked through yesterday to improve firelines & mop up the perimeter. Local volunteer resources have been released to rest and federal resources from the US Forest Service and National Park Service, with help from the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, and a crew from the State of South Dakota will continue to improve firelines.

District Ranger Tim Buskirk wants to assure all cooperators that the Pine Ridge Ranger District of the Nebraska National Forests & Grasslands is grateful for their support.

The current mapping (below) of the Eagle Eye Fire (14 miles NW of Crawford, NE) shows 345 acres.

Update June 28

❗Eagle Eye Fire Update: Officials are now reporting that the fire is at 85% containment. Hudson Meng Education & Research Center is open for normal operations today and Saturday. Visitors are asked to be mindful of additional fire vehicles on the roads and are asked to avoid the fire area, as operations are ongoing.

USFS Photo
Alt Text: This photo shows the area affected by the Eagle Eye Fire. There is smoldering still in a low area and a fireline on the left upper are of the image, that the fire did not cross, as it is still green.